whats up guys. First of all Id like to thank everyone who has contibuted to this forum, It has helped me in ways that I cannot describe. I have shaped 20 board thus far from start to finish. I may be crazy here, but I am seriously considering making this art my full time profession. I have already devoted my life to surfing so why not make a living from it? So my question is this: if I were to open a shop and shape full time, make a name for myself with my own label, what can I expect in terms of success? What should I be aware of in terms of operating my business? Do I even have a chance considering that certain companies can mass produce boards and sell them at prices I wont be able to compete with? I belive strongly that surfing is similar to a religious experience and I will always be true to it that respect. I dont want to get rich here, I just want to make a comfortable living and be able to do the things I want to do when I want to do it(surfing mainly). Will shaping provide me with this option? Any advice would be much appreciated. peace
Hi, That’s an interesting topic. Come to Hong Kong, there’s no con/pro builder here. It’s no kidding. Its true~… Regards, Crabie
whats up guys. First of all Id like to thank everyone who has contibuted > to this forum, It has helped me in ways that I cannot describe. I have > shaped 20 board thus far from start to finish. I may be crazy here, but I > am seriously considering making this art my full time profession. I have > already devoted my life to surfing so why not make a living from it? So my > question is this: if I were to open a shop and shape full time, make a > name for myself with my own label, what can I expect in terms of success? > What should I be aware of in terms of operating my business? Do I even > have a chance considering that certain companies can mass produce boards > and sell them at prices I wont be able to compete with? I belive strongly > that surfing is similar to a religious experience and I will always be > true to it that respect. I dont want to get rich here, I just want to make > a comfortable living and be able to do the things I want to do when I want > to do it(surfing mainly). Will shaping provide me with this option? Any > advice would be much appreciated. peace Well,here’s one perspective.Im going to have to make this short becouse i tend to ramble a lot.For me this is my life style.I was born into it.Im doing what i can to pass it along.I started shaping so i could have what i wanted.Then later on becouse there was money in it in the sixty’s.Then the art of it took over in the seventy’s.And you know there is no money in art unless you die.Then everybody else but you get’s rich.J.A.
whats up guys. First of all Id like to thank everyone who has contibuted > to this forum, It has helped me in ways that I cannot describe. I have > shaped 20 board thus far from start to finish. I may be crazy here, but I > am seriously considering making this art my full time profession. I have > already devoted my life to surfing so why not make a living from it? So my > question is this: if I were to open a shop and shape full time, make a > name for myself with my own label, what can I expect in terms of success? > What should I be aware of in terms of operating my business? Do I even > have a chance considering that certain companies can mass produce boards > and sell them at prices I wont be able to compete with? I belive strongly > that surfing is similar to a religious experience and I will always be > true to it that respect. I dont want to get rich here, I just want to make > a comfortable living and be able to do the things I want to do when I want > to do it(surfing mainly). Will shaping provide me with this option? Any > advice would be much appreciated. peace Howzit Loco, This topic has been addressed many times on this site, the latest being one called something along the lines of: “If you had a surfshop…”. Check it out in the Archives, I think you will enjoy it. I am going to go the route of devils advocate for you. I have read the occasional post from the pros’ on this site that addresses the difficulties of making it in this game. I believe that the general concensus is that you must cater to the lifestyle because that is where the margins come from. The ROI on a completed no-name board is meager to say the least. I order to stay afloat you will have to sell the t-shirts, sweatshirts, bikinis, sunblocks, key chains, etc, etc, etc… You will also have to find a way to differentiate your shop from all of the others out there — many with a strong, loyal following. So you have an idea and a plan, and you execute it perfectly. Scoring that ideal retail site that is the perfect combination of location and manageable $$$ per foot. Lets say you are one of those rare individuals that have the talent and skill-set to put something together that is actually a hit. Including, of course, the highly competetive but lucrative electronic commerce market so you can help those poor kids in Kansas dress like Kelly… To regroup – At this point you have a great brick and mortar location, and a fantastic virtual site that is constantly being massaged so that you come up in the top 3 choices of every significant search engine. You’ve got the UPS guy coming by at 5:30 every evening to pick up the 100+ shipments that you have going out the back door to all those poor landlocked state kids. You will now be faced with the Human Resource nightmare that impacts all well run businesses. Specifically: How do you hire, train, hold accountable, motivate, inspire, and retain employees? How do you ensure that they will do what you want them to do in every sales and service situation? Oh yeah, what are you gonna pay these guys and gals? I understand that McD is paying up to $9.00 an hour for just a fry guy… The final question that you need to ask yourself: Once you are fully entrenched in the business end of this business – reading P&L spreadsheets monthly, weekly and in some instances daily, wondering how long it takes to hit the draw daily, worrying if “Bro” will make it in to work his shift when that 6’ South Swell is hittin’, taking care of upset customers, Man I could go on and on… WILL YOU BE HAPPY, AND WILL YOU EVEN HAVE TIME TO SURF??? Not meaning to rain on anyone parade but I have read that the recent numbers posted show that 3/5 new businesses fail within the first 5 years. The ones that make it have solid business plans and have tight controls on cost and marketing. I hope you are one of the rare ones that pull it off if you go for it, because it will only benefit the consumer, specifically me. I wish you luck bruddah. Let me know where your shop is going to be located and I will support it. Best of luck to ya Loco. Magoo P.S. Had Loco Moco at the Loft today after the morning session at 16th. It hit the spot! I’m out, M
I think you must first define “comfortable living”. If you are happy with very little and put surfing and surfboards above all else, then go for it. Give yourself a time frame to make it or break it. If it doesn’t work out like you had planned, continue to shape, but with a steady income from somewhere else. If you think all the shapers you hear about are making a “good living”, you’re wrong. Most of them have other incomes or a wife that works also. If you really want to do it then just do it . You’ll never know if something works until you try it; but be realistic. aloha, tom
I think you must first define “comfortable living”. If you are > happy with very little and put surfing and surfboards above all else, then > go for it. Give yourself a time frame to make it or break it. If it > doesn’t work out like you had planned, continue to shape, but with a > steady income from somewhere else. If you think all the shapers you hear > about are making a “good living”, you’re wrong. Most of them > have other incomes or a wife that works also. If you really want to do it > then just do it . You’ll never know if something works until you try it; > but be realistic.>>> aloha, tom loco moco, Follow your passion. Life is unpredicatable and ever-changing, no matter what you choose to do, you may be rich today and broke tommorrow… healthy, sick or injured. Plenty of people have enormous incomes and all the material things that money can buy… and they still exist in bitterly unhappy, meaningless lives. Yet, being poor can be just as bad a curse, but in different ways. Lots of guys have wives that work, and you may have to work two jobs… the price of your dream occupation may be considerably less time spent surfing. Life will not always be what you
d like it to be, as defined by "comfortable". So what? Be a student of life and embrace it with your heart and mind... seize your inspiration and pursue it with every bit of sweat, skill and knowledge that you
ve got. If youre blessed, you
ll always be a student. Yes, you may get knocked down and fail, but at least youve tried... and remember, there isn
t any rule that says you can`t get up and try again. One fact is certain at the outset… you never know where your journey will lead. Dale
. I dont want to get rich here, I just want to make > a comfortable living and be able to do the things I want to do when I want > to do it(surfing mainly). Will shaping provide me with this option? Any > advice would be much appreciated. peace I’m not a sage, and have no experience in running a surf shop, but I have had enough business experience to suggest you run right out and get the current Surfer’s Journal and read the interview with Reynolds Yater. Add that to the other advice in this thread and you’ll get a good picture of things. Yater had an understanding of the concept of work and income right from the start, and more importantly he acted on it. Not some fantasy of surf-shop “Bro-dom”, not dealing drugs out of the shaping bay, not in business to get to go to the ASR show and look at the Reef girls, not wasting any time or effort on anything he didn’t seem to care about…his story applies to anybody evaluating how to proceed through life. I might offer, based on personal experience, if you are in business for yourself, and serious about being successful (staying open!), you will probably have less time to surf. But you may also find yourself thrilled to the bone, surfing other lifewaves. Nels
. I dont want to get rich here, I just want to make>>> I’m not a sage, and have no experience in running a surf shop, but I have > had enough business experience to suggest you run right out and get the > current Surfer’s Journal and read the interview with Reynolds Yater. Add > that to the other advice in this thread and you’ll get a good picture of > things.>>> Yater had an understanding of the concept of work and income right from > the start, and more importantly he acted on it. Not some fantasy of > surf-shop “Bro-dom”, not dealing drugs out of the shaping bay, > not in business to get to go to the ASR show and look at the Reef girls, > not wasting any time or effort on anything he didn’t seem to care > about…his story applies to anybody evaluating how to proceed through > life.>>> I might offer, based on personal experience, if you are in business for > yourself, and serious about being successful (staying open!), you will > probably have less time to surf. But you may also find yourself thrilled > to the bone, surfing other lifewaves.>>> Nels Nels nailed it on the business end of it.Good craftsmen will always be in demand.In a nutshell I would set up a nice clean shop and concentrate on doing super good glass work in a timely fashion.“Shapers” are pretty common,the problem in the industry is getting the boards glassed,you can shape your own boards but the money is in high quality finish work (just look at the Cooperfish boards and Clay Bennet’s stuff).Ding repair is another good source of income,do em right and get em out quick.While we are on this subject you might think about a shop big enough to do minor ding repair on boats.I could ramble on about this but you can do it if you really want to.The key to the whole deal is honesty,hard work and a love of what you are doing.
Great thread! Some really good advise here. I don’t own a surf business but have my own company that I built with my partners from scratch doing what we love. I’ll add my two cents…If you haven’t already, go get a job at a shop somewhere and see how its done. TAKE A CLASS IN BUSINESS OR ACOUNTING. Yeah, its boring but running a business without it is like being a shaper but not knowing how to surf! The best advise has already been given; you gotta want it hard enough to work when everyone is out playing. Good Luck! Newbalonie
Rennie was clear that fishing was his income source and the surfboard thing was more or less a hobby.
Great thread! Some really good advise here. I don’t own a surf business > but have my own company that I built with my partners from scratch doing > what we love. I’ll add my two cents…If you haven’t already, go get a job > at a shop somewhere and see how its done. TAKE A CLASS IN BUSINESS OR > ACOUNTING. Yeah, its boring but running a business without it is like > being a shaper but not knowing how to surf! The best advise has already > been given; you gotta want it hard enough to work when everyone is out > playing. Good Luck! Newbalonie Newbalonie is right on about the business and accounting classes. I’ve had several successful businesses(running 3 now) and I feel that my education in business has been the difference between success and failure. Aloha,Kokua Fiberglass
Rennie was clear that fishing was his income source and the surfboard > thing was more or less a hobby. Absolutely correct - and not brought up to discourage anybody. Yater had priorities, and seems to have managed to own surfboard shops for what - 40 years? Been able to make boards for over 40 years and not lose the joy. Admirable, in my opinion. And hard work. Sometimes trying to make a living from something you love can kill your love of it. To paraphrase Hunter Thompson: “Sex may be fun, but old whores don’t do much giggling.” If advance planning can keep something from becoming an endless grind… Nels
Rennie was clear that fishing was his income source and the surfboard > thing was more or less a hobby. More than a hobby.